Dave Miller
A highly-educated and reputable speaker and writer within the Churches of Christ, Dave Miller currently serves as the Executive Director at Apologetics Press in Montgomery, Ala. Dr. Miller is the author of numerous articles and books, including Sexual Anarchy and Piloting the Strait. One of his most well-known books, however, is The Quran Unveiled, and that will be his topic as he addresses the attendees of the Christian Training Series on July 14-15.
A newcomer to the CTS speaking lineup, Miller will speak from 8:30-10:20 on the first two days of the series in Ayers Auditorium. His topic of Islam will address the authority of the Quran and examine Islam’s holy book with a view toward ascertaining whether it is of supernatural origin. He points out that while many people refuse to consider the beliefs of others and stick with their family and cultural beliefs, Christians should thoroughly read both the Bible and the Quran in order to grasp the full extent of the chasm that exists between the two.
An Arizona native, Miller is a graduate of Lubbock Christian University, where he earned a B.A. degree in speech and Bible. He earned his M.A. degree in speech communication from Texas Tech University and his Masters in Theology and Masters of Arts in Religion from the Harding Graduate School of Religion. He then furthered his education as Southern Illinois University, earning his Ph.D. in rhetoric and public address. For over 30 years, Miller has served in various capacities for the Churches of Christ, including pulpit preacher, director of a school of preaching and a host of the nationally televised program The Truth in Love. Miller speaks on matters pertaining to Christianity and the culture wars, appearing on lectureships and conducting weekend seminars and gospel meetings 40-50 weekends per year.
Miller and his wife, Deborah, live in Montgomery, Ala., and have four married children and four grandchildren.
Lana Pirtle
Lana Pirtle is a resident of Henderson, Tenn., and she will be teaching a women’s class at the Christian Training Series this year. Pirtle’s topic is “Esther: For Such a Time as This.”
Pirtle graduated from Memphis State University with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1986 after attending Freed-Hardeman’s pre-engineering program. While at Freed-Hardeman, Pirtle met her husband, Harold, a 1983 FHU graduate. She and Harold married in 1984 and moved to Huntsville, Ala., where she worked as a rocket scientist at Redstone Arsenal.
Two years ago, the Pirtles moved to Henderson where she currently teaches math at Freed-Hardeman. She and Harold have three children, Chris, 19, who us a U.S. Marine stationed in Okinawa, Japan; Whitney, 17, who will be a senior at Chester County High School; and Sara, 15, who will be a sophomore at Chester County High School.
Pirtle plans to start on her graduate degree in mathematics this fall, and in her spare time (or lack thereof, she says), she enjoys sewing, reading, learning sign language and attending events like CTS.
Pirtle’s class on Esther will be taught Monday through Thursday at 8:30 a.m. in GC 101.